lightening
軽量化
解説 Definition
lightening は lighten（軽くする）の動名詞・現在分詞で、「軽量化」という意味です。物や構造の重さを減らす工程や効果について使われます。
Lightening is the process of making an object, structure, or load lighter in weight. As the -ing form of lighten, it can name that process or describe an ongoing effort to reduce weight, such as lightening a bicycle frame.
覚え方のコツ Memory Tip
lightening は原形 lighten「軽くする」に -ing を付けた形で、語末の子音を重ねずそのまま lightening となります。「軽量化」なら lightening the frame や the lightening of the bike と覚えましょう。lightning「稲妻」には e がないため、発音とつづりを区別することが重要です。
Start with the verb lighten, “make lighter,” and add -ing to form lightening; no consonant is doubled. Use it for reducing physical weight: lightening the frame, lightening the product, or the lightening of a bicycle. This -ing form can act as a gerund naming the process or as a present participle in a verb phrase. Keep the middle e visible in both spelling and pronunciation. Lightning, without that e, means the bright electrical flash seen during a storm and is usually pronounced with fewer syllables.
例文
The lightening of the bike made it easier to carry.
自転車の軽量化で持ち運びが楽になりました。
Engineers discussed lightening the frame without weakening it.
技術者たちは強度を落とさずにフレームを軽量化する方法を話し合いました。
The company focused on lightening the product to reduce shipping costs.
その会社は配送費を下げるために製品の軽量化に力を入れました。
lightening の類義語・関連語
類義語
紛らわしい語
lightening の語源・成り立ち Etymology
古英語形容詞「leoht（軽い）」に動詞化接尾辞「-en」と名詞化「-ing」が結合。印欧語根「*legwh-（軽い）」に立ち、ラテン語「levis」由来の「alleviate（緩和する）」と同源。「負荷を取り除く行為」という成り立ちが、そのまま「軽量化」という現代の意味につながっているのです。
Lightening is formed from lighten plus the suffix -ing. Lighten combines light, from Old English lēoht in the sense “not heavy,” with the verb-forming suffix -en, meaning “make or become.” Light is related to the reconstructed Indo-European root often given as *legwh-, “light in weight.” Adding -ing creates a form that can name the process or mark continuing action. In engineering contexts, that formation directly yields the sense “reducing weight.”
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